Student collapses following basketball game
By Kurt Wagner
A student collapsed outside of the Leavey Center student entrance following last Thursday night's men's basketball game against Gonzaga. Senior Matt Brinda was immediately tended to by an off-duty student EMT who performed CPR until on-duty Emergency Medical Services and American Medical Response arrived on the scene.
Respondents used an automated external defibrillator to help Brinda's heart regain natural rhythm.
He was then rushed to O'Connor Hospital in San Jose where he was treated for a "heart issue," according to the Director of Campus Ministry Fr. Jack Treacy, S.J. Brinda remained in the hospital's Intensive Care Unit throughout the weekend before moving to a regular patient room Monday afternoon.
Brinda was transferred to Stanford Medical Center on Tuesday where he will continue to receive treatment and diagnostic tests. His full recovery is expected, but there is no time table for his return to Santa Clara, said Treacy. His parents, Paul and Diane, flew in from Minnesota on Friday to stay with their son after hearing the news.
"At Santa Clara we pride ourselves on our sense of community," said Treacy. "I would hope that all members of the community, whatever their faith tradition, would hold (Brinda) in their hearts and in their prayers."
Matthew Duncan, associate dean for student life, declined to comment due to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act which protects university records for confidentiality purposes.
Santa Clara EMTs who responded to the scene also declined to comment due to patient privacy issues.
Brinda is a member of the Da Vinci RLC at Santa Clara and has received multiple visits in the hospital by Treacy as well as a visit from university President Fr. Michael Engh, S.J.
According to bystanders, nearly 100 students who witnessed the scene outside of the arena joined hands in a prayer circle last Thursday evening as Brinda was being transported to O'Connor Hospital.
Contact Kurt Wagner at (408) 554-4849 or jwagner@scu.edu.